Cotton-gin.



S. F. KRUPP.

COTTON Gili. APPLICATION man JULYH.19\6.

Patented J une 26, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Z/zlizaas es,

S. F. KRUPP.

COTTON GIN. APPUCATION HLED JULY vi. I916.

1231,0329 PatentedJuneQG, 1917.

' HSHEETS-SHEET 2.

s. F. KRUPP.

COTTON GIN.

APPLICATION HLED DULY 14.1916.

Patented June 26, 1917;

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- Jaye/2302 SMITH F. KRUPP, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

COTTON-GIN.

Application filed July 14, 1916.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, SMITH F. KRUPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Grins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton gins and particularly to means for removing lint cotton from gin saws or analogous ginning devices. The lint cotton removing means embodying the essential features of the invention consists of a rotary pneumatic doffer to replace the ordinary hair'bristle brush cylinder and is organized as a multiblade blast wheel with both ends open, deflecting means being associated with the blades and extending in the spaces between the gin saws to turn or direct the air blast from the tips of the blades toward the sides of the saws and behind the lint cotton. The improved dotfer or blast wheel operates in a housing pro vided with the usual outlet passage or flue for the air and lint cotton removed from the saws.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the hair bristle brush with all of its known disadvantages and to use an air blast to doif the lint cotton from the saws in a more effective manner and without losing any of the advantages of the devices now in use for separating motes and dirt from lint cotton, the blast being generated in the gin through the medium of a doifer and not in the usual way by a blower or blast creating means independent of the gin or battery of gins. The improved doffer and coordinate features may be applied to newly built gins or be substituted for the brush cylinders in gins 110w in use in the field.

Embodiments of the essential features of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings to illustrate the practical means for demonstrating the operativeness and advantages of the invention. The invention, however, is not limited to the specific construction of parts shown and may be modified within the purview thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through a gin embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 2-2, Fig. 1, with the ginning ribs omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1917.

Serial No. 109,324.

of a portion of the doffer and one of the rings thereof and a side elevation of a portion of a saw.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail horizontal sections 011 enlarged scales and respectively showing a portion of the doifer illustrated by Fig. 2 and a slight modification thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 embodying a further modification.

' Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 77, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinal vertical section taken in the plane of the line 88, Fig. 6.

The numeral 5 designates a gin frame which may be of any suitable or preferred construction and as shown is provided with a breast 6 movably applied to the upper front portion of the gin for clearance of the saw cylinder 7 embodying a plurality of saws 8 fixed on a saw shaft 9. The breast 6 comprises as usual a roll box 10, ribs 11 and a support or rail 12 carrying fingers 13 cooperating with the saws 8 in a manner which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The upper part of the gin frame 5 is inclosed as at 14, and at a suitable elevation therein is a cotton lint and air outlet or egress flue or lateral 15 opening through the back of the gin, as at 16, and extending forward far enough to receive the lint cotton removed from the saws 8. The features just referred to are well known in gin structures and are particularly illustrated and described to show the application of the improvements, and it will be understood that any form of gin embodying structural features and accessories other than those particularly specified may have the improved doffer applied thereto, the application of the rotary pneumatic doffer constituting the essenial feature of the present invention in no wise modifying the general organization of a gin, said doffer taking the place of or being substituted for the ordinary bristle brush cylinder commonly used in various types or forms to remove the lint cotton from the saws 8 of the saw cylinder 7.

In a suitable position in rear of the saw cylinder 7 a shaft 17 is mounted in suitable bearings 18 at its opposite extremities and which are diagrammatically shown by Fig. 2, the said bearings being of any type applicable for the purpose. The opposite ends of the gin frame 5 are formed with enlarged openings 19 and the opposite extremities of the shaft 17 extend through said openings. On the shaft 17 the dofl'er components are mounted and secured for operation, the shaft and said components comprising the improved rotary pneumatic doffer. These components, which will be presently specifically described, with the shaft 17 form a cylindrical organization which is open at the opposite ends, as at 20, for the indrawing of air into the interior of the doffer. The ends 'of the doffer are operatively disposedadjacent to the inner surfaces of the opposite ends of the gin frame 5 and are exposed to the exterior of the gin through the openings 19, anrLas a consequence air may readily pass through the said openings into the interior of the dofl'er. At each end of the doffer is an annular head 21, and secured to the two heads is a plurality of curved blades 22, said blades extending full length of the dolfer and intersected at regular intervals by blast creating blades 23 having their outer extremities curved similarly to the remaining blades and increased in width at the center, as at 24, and secured to a disk 25 fixed on the shaft 17, as clearly shown by Fig. 2. These blades 23 may be properly termed beater blades or blades having inwardly projected beater extensions which are rigidly held for beating action by the disk 25. Near the opposite ends of the dolfer sleeves or collars 26 are also secured on the shaft 17, one adjacent to each end of the shaft, and from these sleeves or collars braces or spokes 27 extend outwardly at an angle and are secured to the annular heads 21 to give the doffer a rigid structure and at the same time provide for open ends to permit the free ingress of the air from the exterior. The braces or spokes 27 and the sleeves or collars 26 may be arranged in various positions and it is obvious that they may be reversed, or the sleeves or collars 26 located outwardly a greater distance or nearer the annular heads 21 and the braces or spokes 27 projected inwardly at an angle, or the angle of the braces or spokes may be varied by increasing the length of the same and setting the sleeves or collars 26 a greater distance inwardly. These changes are obvious as it is a common expedient to brace the ends of devices of this character, the object in the present instance being to provide means for strengthening and positively supporting the ends of the doffer and at the same time form the dofier with open ends for the unrestricted ingress of air there to. Surrounding the blades 22 in the construction shown by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and suitably secured thereto, is a plurality of rings 28, shown on an enlarged scale by Fig. 4, and consisting, so far as specific construction is concerned, of a double sheet metal body to provide inwardly projecting securing flanges 29 and outer curved lateral flanges 30 which give each ring an approximately T-shaped contour in cross-section. The securing flanges are disposed radially with relation to the doffer and have their inner terminals recessed or slotted, as at 31, see Fig. f, and into these slots the tips of the blades 22 extend. The rings 28 project between the saws 8, the maximum width of the rings being less than the distance between the saws so that spaces 32 are formed between opposite sides of each ring and the adjacent saws. The annular heads 21 proj ect outwardly, and as shown by Fig. at the outer edges of said rings are curved inwardly, as at 33, to complete the recesses for the saws adjacent to opposite ends of the doffer and to carry out the circumscribing saw space engaging ring feature throughout the whole length of the doffer. In the slightly modified form shown by Fig. 5 the rings 28 have similar securing or radial flanges 29 and outer straight lateral flanges 3 1, the annular heads 21 in this instance having their outer ends bent inwardly in straight planes, as at 35.

The doflfer as thus far described has an inclosing casing or housing 36 preferably formed of sheet metal and open, as at 37, ahead of the inlet of the flue 15 to give ample clearance for the motes, the extremity 38 of the lower wall of the flue 15 acting as a mote board and in conjunction with the said extremity any suitable and well known form of mote board attachment may be used, there being many of such devices in the art and adopted at will by various manufacturers. The housing 36 at the upper terminal of the opening 37 as indicated at 39, will extend as closely toward the saw cylinder 7 and the rings 28 as it is possible to arrange the same, and it will be observed that this part of the housing is slightly deflected relatively to the remaining portion of the curvature thereof and by this means the dirt, leaf trash and motes that are thrown from the saws against the outside of the housing adjacent to the saw cylinder will be caused to fall through the spaces between the saws 8 in the direction of the dotted line 40. The outer surfaces of the rings 28 will also serve as shields to prevent dirt and line leaf trash from mixing with the lint.

Figs, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a modification of the structure and in this instance the rings 28 are eliminated, but in other re spects the doffer is similar in construction and the same reference characters are used to indicate corresponding parts. In this modified structure the housing 36 depends a greater distance relatively to the saws 8 and the blades 22 of the dolfer, and the opening 37 is correspondingly reduced in extent. As shown by Fig. 8, the housing at the front adjacent to the saws is formed with a plurality of slots 11 and the metal between the slots is shaped to provide T-shaped flanged saw space engaging devices 42, as shown by Fig. 7, the heads or laterally projecting portions of each of the flanges 42 occupying the same position relatively to the saws 8 as do the flanges of the rings 28 hereinbefore described in view of the formation of the slots or openings41. The flanges 42 also taper vertically, as at 44, see Fig. 6, from an intermediate enlarged portion 45 of each flange, and from the latter intermediate enlarged portion each flange again tapers to the lower end, as at 46. The flanges 42 occupy the same relation and have substantially the same form as the members of the rings 28, and the tapered and enlarged portions thereof just described are disposed in radial relation to the rotary dofl'er embodying the blades 22. The tips of the blades, owing to the intermediate enlargements 45 which may be termed the stems or radial members 47 of the flanges 42, run very close to said enlargements or rearwardly extended portions of the flanges 42, as shown by Fig. 6. At the opposite ends of the dofler the front dependin portion of the housing embodying the anges 42 is provided with a half or right-angular flange, as at 48, see Fig. 7, so as to complete the openings 41 for the reception of the saw blades 8. In this instance also the dirt, leaf trash and motes that are thrown from the saws against the outside of the housing above the saw cylinder are caused to fall through the spaces between the saws 8, as shown by the dotted line 43.

The housings of both forms of the device shown are strengthened and held rigid by depending braces 49 secured to the gin frame above the housing and the saws and to the housing adjacent to the point where the latter approaches the saws. The upper wall 50 of the flue or lateral 15 in both forms of the device is practically a continuation of the housing 36, and the rear extremity or outlet of the said flue or lateral has its upper portion formed by a divergent member 51 secured to the housing. This construction is preferred but is not vital to the operation of the dofler and is capable of various modifications within the scope of the invention. In both forms of the invention as shown by Figs. 1 and 6 the dofler or blast wheel is made with as large diameter as possible without changing the dimensions of the ordinary gin structure, and the position of the end 52 of the upper wall 50 of the flue or lateral 15, and which also constitutes the lower portion of the housing relatively to the flanges 42, will be determined by experiment. If this end 52 is brought up close to the flanges 42 an opening 53 will be formed in the housing to allow a small current of air to escape to assist the delivery of the lint from the machine, said current of air delivered into the flue or lateral 15 at the point shown setting up a drawing action relatively to the lint in advance of the position thereof. The main features of the doffer in either form shown are the blast or air current generating blades and the association therewith of deflecting means between the saws of the saw cylinder.

The rings 28 which rotate with the dofl'er in the form of the latter as shown by Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and the flanges 42 which are held stationary or fixed serve the same function relatively to the saws 8 and operate as shield means to prevent dirt and fine leaf trash from mixing with the lint which is removed from the saws. Consequently, in

the subsequent description or in the claims the rings 28 and flanges-42 will be referred to as shields or deflectors cooperating with the saws and doffer to perform the function for which they have been devised, and in this c general reference to the two forms of the shields or deflectors either one of the forms shown will be broadly contemplated. The saws 8 rotating relatively to the roll box 10 or any other cotton supply means will as generated into the flue or lateral 15 in a '1 commercially clean condition and ready for subsequent operations or for transmission to a condenser wherein it may be batted and then pass to a baling press. The doffer embodying the blades 22 will be rotated at a proper rate of speed and the currents of air or the blast will be delivered between the blades 22 onto the saws 8 at the point where the latter are in close relation to the plane of rotation of the said dofler blades. A small 1 amount of air will escape through the spaces between the lateral flanges of the rings 28 and the heads of the flanges 42 and the adjacent faces or sides of the saws and operate as a mechanical clearance to prevent dirt, leaf trash and motes that have been disengaged from the fiber by the action of the saws and ribs from being again mixed with the fiber. The air currents from the dofi'er will be delivered between the rings 28 or the flanges 42 and the saws parallel with the plane of rotation of the saws. The saws will, in effect, split the air currents and the said rings or flanges will deflect these air currents against the sides of the saw teeth, the action being in all respects similar to the action of the ordinary hair bristles of a brush cylinder. One of the particular advantages of the operation of the improved dofl'er and the shields or deflectors cooperating therewith in the spaces between the saws is that the motes, dirt and leaf trash will be caught and acted upon by the air blast or air currents from the dotler. Moreover, by applying the air laterally to the saws adjacent to the teeth the locks of lint cotton carried by the teeth will be more effectively loosened or lifted off, and, furthermore, the most essential advantage of the improved doffer is that the air currents are concentrated or are counteracted and compressed at the point where they strike the lint so that they are not fully released until after they have passed the point of separation of the lint from the saw teeth. A further important feature of the improved dofler is the elimination of the wear of the parts and a consequent depreciation of their efliciency. It is well known that in hair bristle brush cylinders the bristles become worn from contact with the saws and notched and frequently operate in this condition for a long time and will remain fairly practical in the performance of their function so long as the cotton is in a dry fluffy condition. If green fiber or fiber in adamp condition is ginned it is necessary to refill the brush sticks with new hair bristles. When the hair bristles have become worn considerably so that they barely touch the saw teeth the air currents generated by the rotation of such worn brush cylinder will remove the lint cotton from the teeth, provided the cotton is dry and fluify, and even under these favorable circumstances the dry lint is not always removed from the saws. The operation of the doffer embodying the features of this invention is constant, as there is no part thereof that will become worn and it will also be understood that where the blades 22 com-e nearest to the saws there will be ample clearance to avoid any frictional or detrimental contact of the blades with relation to the saw teeth. By

' having the improved doffer operate to generate air currents and form a blast which is delivered from the tips of the blades 22 to the saws 8, a material saving in gin constructions and operative appurtenances therefor results as each gin practically becomes selfactive or does not depend upon any extraneous blast producing means. The curvature of the blades 22 is downward toward the inlet to the flue or lateral 15 as the said blades approach the saw teeth in the nearest relation to the latter and after passing below the saws for some distance, and as a consequence the lint cotton removed from the saw teeth will be effectively driven downwardly together with air currents impelled in the same direction and will enter the flue or lateral 15 with considerable force and be effectively carried away from the rear of the gin through the outlet 16 of the said flue or lateral. The improved dofler is of a strong and durable character and will be operated in a manner similar to the operation of the ordinary brush cylinder, and in like manner the saw cylinder and the improved dolfer will be relatively actuated by interconnected or interengaging driving devices, or independently as in the present form of gins. When gins embodying the improved doffer are arranged in battery form, all of the dofl'er shafts may be connected and the whole group or series driven by a single belt or analogous device as in the present preferred arrangement of the brush cylinders of a battery of gins. The improved dofl'er may be used in a delinting machinewith the same effectiveness of operation as in an ordinary cotton gin.

lVhat is claimed is: r

l. A cotton gin having ginning devices, rotary air blast generating means withinthe gin and provided with longitudinal blades and air current deflecting means projecting into the spaces between the ginning devices to direct the air currents against the opposing faces of the said devices in advance of the lint cotton laden teeth of the devices.

2. A cotton gin having ginning devices, rotary air blast generating means within the gin and operating to remove cotton from the ginning devicesand air current deflecting means in peripheral cooperation with: the blast generating means and projecting into the spaces between the ginning devices to direct air currents against the opposing sides of the ginning devices, passages being formed between the opposing sides of the ginning devices and deflecting means.

3. A cotton gin having ginning saws, rotary bladed means within the gin for gencrating an air blast to remove cotton from the saws, and air current deflecting means peripherally cooperating with the air blast generating means and projecting into the spaces between the opposing sides of the saws.

4. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and movable means for generating forceful lint removing air currents within the gin and for applying said currents by counteraction and compression at the points where they strike the lint so thtt they are not fully released until after they have passed the point of separation of the lint from the saw teeth.

A cotton gin having ginning saws, rotary means having blades for generating air currents within the gin and applying said currents to the saws, and current deflecting means cooperating with said blades and having laterally projected members extending into the spaces between the opposing sides of the saws.

G. A cotton gin having ginning saws, rotary means within the gin having peripheral blades extending lengthwise of said means for generating air currents and applying them to the saws, and air current deflecting means cooperating with said rotary means and extending into the spaces between opposing sides of the saws.

7. A cotton gin having ginning saws, rotary means having peripheral blades for generating air currents and applying them to the saws, and air current deflecting means peripherally engaging the blades and having laterally projecting members extending into the spaces between the opposing sides of the saws.

8. A cotton gin having ginning saws, a rotary bladed air current generating means mounted in the gin, a housing for said air blast generating means provided with an opening to expose portions of the saws to the air blast generating means, and air current deflecting means peripherally engaging said air current generating means and extending into the spaces between the opposing sides of the saws.

9. A cotton gin having ginning saws, a rotary bladed air current generating means mounted in the gin, a housing for said air blast'generating means provided with an opening to expose portions of the saws to the air blast generating means, and air current deflecting means peripherally engaging and movable with said air current generating means and extending into the spaces between the opposing sides of the saws, the upper portion of the housing along the opening being disposed closely to the saws and said deflecting means.

10. A cotton gin having ginning saws, a rotary air current generating means within the gin and having longitudinal peripherally exposed blades and disposed in operative relation to the saws for removing the lint cotton from the latter, and means be tween the saws and adjacent to the teeth of the latter for directing portions of the air currents to the saw teeth for loosening the lint cotton and also for forcing leaf trash and motes away from the lint cotton.

11. A cotton gin having a rotary pneumatic dofl'er therein provided with longitudinally extending blades peripherally exposed for generating lint cotton removing air currents, the said doffer being open at opposite ends and interiorly thereof, saws with which the doifer peripherally co6perates, and means extending between the saws for deflecting the currents of air relatively to the opposing sides of the saws.

12. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and a rotary pneumatic doffer for generating air currents which are delivered from the periphery thereof against the saw teeth, and current deflecting means peripherally circumscribin the doffer and movable through the spaces between the saws.

13. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and

a dofl'er having a rotating movement and provided with peripheral blades to deliver air currents against the saw teeth and also with circumscribing rings having flanged members movable through the spaces between the saws.

14. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and a rotary pneumatic dotfer disposed in operative relation to the saw teeth and provided with peripheral blades to deliver air cur- 7 rents to the saw teeth and with means circumscribing the said blades and movable between the saws to deflect the air currents relatively to the saws.

15. A cotton gin having ginning saws, a rotary pneumatic doifer disposed in operative relation to the saw teeth and provided with peripheral curved blades to deliver air currents to the saw teeth and with means circumscribing the blades and movable in 5 the spaces between the saws, and a housing inwhich the dofl'er is mounted, the housing being provided with an opening to permit the saws to partiallyproject into adjacent relation to the said blades.

16. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and a rotary pneumatic dofl er disposed in operative relation to the saw teeth and provided with peripheral curved blades extending from end to end of the dofler to deliver air currents to the saw teeth, the dofler being open at the ends and interiorly and having inner air current generating blades which are longitudinally disposed in the doffer and continued outwardly and intersecting the said peripheral blades at intervals.

17. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and a rotary pneumatic doffer disposed in operative relation to the saw teeth and provided with peripheral curved blades to deliver air currents to the saw teeth and also with other longitudinally arranged blades extending from end to end of the dofler and provided with inner enlarged extensions to form beaters within the body of the doffer, the dofi'er being open at opposite ends and interiorly.

18. A cotton gin having ginning saws, and a rotary pneumatic doffer disposed in operative relation to the saw teeth and also with air current deflecting rings surrounding the said blades and movable in the spaces between the saws, the said rings being of T- shaped form in crosssection.

19. A rotary pneumatic doffer for a cotton gin open at opposite ends and interiorly and comprising a series of peripheral blades with openings therebetween and also with interiorly disposed longitudinally extending air current generating beaters whereby air currents may be driven outwardly between the said blades and forcefully applied by the tips of the latter.

20. A rotary pneumatic dofi'er for a cotton gin open at opposite ends and interiorly and having a series of peripheral blades extending longitudinally from end to end thereof and provided With openings therebetween and with interior air current generating means also arranged longitudinally of the doffer, air currents being forcefully driven outwardly between and applied by the said blades.

21. A rotary pneumatic dofl'er for a cotton gin open at opposite ends and interiorly and having a series of peripheral blades With openings therebetWeen and also interior air Copies of this current generating means, and air current deflecting means surrounding and movable With the said doffer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

SMITH F. KRUPP.

Witnesses S. L. GARDNER, D. L. NICHOLS.

patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

